Mitchell Farrar is a highly successful and rapidly expanding financial services Group, determined to provide customers with a broad and complementary range of financial solutions which not only assist them in managing their affairs, but also provide commercial opportunities to the Group. In just over five years we have gone from a standing start to a turnover of c.£70 million and we are targeting profits of c.£20 million this year. Critically we are re-investing a substantial proportion of these back into the business to fuel our continued growth strategy. There are several elements to this which include driving the expansion of our existing businesses; seeking out and acting upon opportunities in new areas; and leveraging synergies across the Group as it grows. Clearly, with growth comes many challenges, not least in ensuring a ‘best practice’ risk aware and compliance orientated culture across all of our rapidly expanding activities.

Due to our growth and the evolving regulatory environment, we are making a major investment in our governance structure, which includes substantially reshaping our risk, audit and compliance function. As part of this we have created a new Group Head of Compliance role and this is where you come in. Your primary remit will be to lead the day-to-day compliance support across the Group, to include call monitoring, complaint handling, financial promotions and contracts review/sign-off. In doing this, you will lead and develop a team and play a significant part in the on-going development of a ‘best practice’ risk aware and compliance orientated culture against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape. You will also be expected to provide constructive and commercial advice within the context of an entrepreneurial Group that is fast growing, both organically and through acquisition.

In terms of your current experience, you must have gained extensive experience of compliance within the retail financial services sector; combined with an in-depth knowledge of the FSA regulatory environment. You must also be professionally qualified, have led a relevant team and possess a good understanding of how the regulatory regime is evolving. Knowledge of other regulatory bodies such as DEMSA and MoJ would be helpful.

Above and beyond your experience, it is critical that you possess the right personal approach. You must be able to grasp the ‘big picture’, but also be detail conscious and possess strong underpinning analytical skills. With the professionalism and determination to adopt ‘best practice’ approaches, you must also be a ‘can do’ and solutions orientated operator with a pragmatic and commercial edge. A good people manager, you must in addition be able to work effectively across the organisation and with external stakeholders and to engender a collaborative spirit but also to influence and constructively challenge when required. Self-motivation, drive and tenacity are also all prerequisites.

For further information, a detailed briefing pack is available to download at www.aquista.com.